Legacy of Hate: A Short History of Ethnic, Religious and Racial Prejudice in America: A Short History of Ethnic, Religious and Racial Prejudice in America

by Philip Perlmutter

For all its foundation on the principles of religious freedom and human equality, American history contains numerous examples of bigotry and persecution of minorities. Now, author Philip Perlmutter lays out the history of prejudice in America in a brief, compact, and readable volume. Perlmutter begins with the arrival of white Europeans, moves through the eighteenth and industrially expanding nineteenth centuries; the explosion of immigration and its attendant problems in the twentieth century; and a fifth chapter explores how prejudice (racial, religious, and ethnic) has been institutionalized in the educational systems and laws. His final chapter covers the future of minority progress.

356 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

Reviews

[Raji Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although America had been portrayed as born of democratic principles, to no less extent was it born of undemocratic ones. The author portrays a sweeping history of prejudice beginning with the American Indians where cannibalism (of rival clans) was an accepted practice, to the colonial era when the native Indians came into contact with European explorers and settlers. When each new wave of immigrants came into the existing population, all had to face difficulties from the earlier immigrants. America is thus a living contradiction of many dimensions--historical, sociological, and psychological--that have manifested themselves on every level of society--individual, communal, and natural." According to the author Philip Perlmutter.
America's diverse groups have been critical in shaping the egalitarianism that characterizes the country's aspirations, and he encourages our people to remain committed to ending all remaining bigotries. His chapter, The Teaching of Contempt, continues to be required reading for all teachers, at both the pre-college and college level, who are concerned to address issues of cultural diversity in their classrooms.
He concludes: 'Whatever America's shortcomings, it is the least bigoted country in the world.'
Selected Contents:
1. The Seeds of Contempt
2. The Weeds of Contempt
3. Proliferation of Peoples and Problems
4. The Expansion of Democratic Pluralism
5. The Teaching of Contempt
6. The Future of Minority Progress